Something I did NOT budget for...

[DisGirl23]

I am hoping we will be able to figure out the bus system on our upcoming trip. We do have a few resort meals booked (Chef Mickey's and WCC) but we will be either coming from a park or heading to a park afterwards. I don't want to feel rushed on my vacation. I am hoping we can make the most of our time on the bus just enjoying each other's company. I priced renting a car but really don't want to mess with driving around.

We just got back last night from POFQ. We ate at Chef Mickey's and WCC. Both times we took the bus to MK and took the monorail to Chef Mickey's and the boat to WCC.

For those with an iPod touch or iPhone... there's a great app called OLP WDW Transportation Wizard. It's from the folks at Our Laughing Place. You select a starting point and a destination and it will give you all transportation options available including estimated times and tips. It's a well spent $1.99! Just search Transportation Wizard in the app store.

 

[aenelson]

Just out of curiosity, because I have not been to WDW in a few years, do the buses for character breakfasts not run anymore?

I just got the OLP app, I will see if it is of any help.

 

[EliPat]

We have an 8 pm ressie at Spirit of Aloha dinner show at the Polynesian the first evening we are there. I have been pondering whether to take a cab, bus or car (we will have a car there). If we decide to take the car I'm wondering if there is a problem with parking/getting into the resort area. Can anyone help? Do you have to pay for parking at the resorts if you are not staying there?

 

[DisGirl23]

We have an 8 pm ressie at Spirit of Aloha dinner show at the Polynesian the first evening we are there. I have been pondering whether to take a cab, bus or car (we will have a car there). If we decide to take the car I'm wondering if there is a problem with parking/getting into the resort area. Can anyone help? Do you have to pay for parking at the resorts if you are not staying there?

Just let them know you're there for the SoA show. You should be fine. You can also take the bus to MK and hop on the boat over to the Poly. It's a nice ride across the lagoon and drops you off very close to Luau Cove. But, since it's the later show on your arrival day, you may want to drive. I don't think there's a charge for WDW resort guests.
Have fun! We were just there Friday night.

 

[EliPat]

Just let them know you're there for the SoA show. You should be fine. You can also take the bus to MK and hop on the boat over to the Poly. It's a nice ride across the lagoon and drops you off very close to Luau Cove. But, since it's the later show on your arrival day, you may want to drive. I don't think there's a charge for WDW resort guests.
Have fun! We were just there Friday night.

Thanks so much.

 

[jdisnut]

I completely understand your concerns and agree with the points made here. When staying at value or moderate resorts without a car, I either skip resort dining or budget cab fare.

People ask all the time for the benefits of staying at a deluxe resort. The ease of reaching other resorts is often overlooked. Staying on the monorail line provides access to four resorts and the Magic Kingdom, which serves as a faster and more convenient connector than Downtown Disney. The same goes for the Epcot area, which has five wonderful resorts within easy walking distance, plus the park.

 

[Kathy Z]

We managed two trips last year eating many dinners at resorts other than our own and spent just about an hour on transportation back to our resort at worst. We did know to avoid connecting via DTD and I planned our ADR's taking advantage of EMH at parks where we could transfer buses (or catch the monorail, ferry or a boat.)

DGD, age 7, could not last the full day at AK. I knew that the AKL lobby was huge and had plenty of furniture to rest in. So DH & DGD, age 10, stayed at AK for about 2 hours longer than us and met us at AKL for our dinner reservations at Boma. That worked out fine.

This Dec we have 2 dinners at our resort, 2 in parks and 3 at other resorts. The fact that we tend to eat early (latest dinner ADR is 7 pm) does keep us ahead of the crowds exiting the parks. We still manage to see Wishes one evening and Illuminations one evening. Those are the nights we have dinner in the parks.

I do always have the back-up plan of money for a cab once or twice if that becomes necessary. My DH prefers to leave the driving to Disney when we visit the World.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I think DTD is the worst way to transfer? We did AKV to CSR and it was NO problem. We transferred buses at DHS and it was really no big deal. We also did Contemporary Resport to CSR and for that one, we used the monorail to MK and then a bus from MK back to CSR. I just figured out which park was closest. We're staying at POFQ in March and have ressies at the Boardwalk Inn, at AKV, and at the Poly. From the Boardwalk Inn, we'll take the boat to DHS and transfer to a bus there, for AKV we'll transfer at either DHS or Epcot, and for the Poly, we'll take the monorail to MK and transfer from there.

 

[aenelson]

I called Disney Dining, and was told that they still have Character Dining buses. They start 30 min before the first dining reservation. So I do not see where the problem lies, but I am sure many people want to tell me.

 

[DisGirl23]

I called Disney Dining, and was told that they still have Character Dining buses. They start 30 min before the first dining reservation. So I do not see where the problem lies, but I am sure many people want to tell me.

I'm not sure what you're asking... are you trying to get to a park for a character meal or to another resort for a character meal?

 

[aenelson]

Double post

 

[aenelson]

I am not asking anything, just posting the information I found. I had earlier asked if the character buses were still running, no one answered so I called DD, and wanted to post the answer. I just do not understand why people think the buses are not going to be busy, and honestly it is easy to get around if you know how to use the transportation system, I have done it many times, but again like I said I am sure many people will want to tell me whats wrong with it.

 

[DisGirl23]

Oh ok, I guess I thought you were looking for a bus to take from your resort to another for the character meal. Just confused.

 

[canopynut66]

Just got back from a wonderful 8 day trip with free dining. Don't know what I was thinking, but staying at POFQ, I made dinner reservations at Boma, Contemporary, Grand Floridian Cafe, and Yachtsman - all restaurants at other resorts, rather than at the parks. We did not budget for cabs, but we should have!

I told myself before this trip that DBF and I are patient people and don't mind leaving early. After riding a packed bus to Downtown Disney, then transferring to another packed bus to get to AKL for our Boma reservation, we did make it on time - because we left at 5:30 for a 7:50 reservation, and yes, we were on buses the ENTIRE time. We were so soured from this experience we took a cab home.

We again were faced with the cab or bus situation after a lovely dinner at California Grill and watching HalloWishes. If you are attempting to have a romantic evening, especially at CA Grill, the LAST thing you want to do is brave the crowed exiting the parks after the fireworks to get a bus. We again took a cab home even though the MK bus depot was just a 5 minute walk. For our reservations at Grand Floridian (watched fireworks again) and at Yachtsman (went to Jellyrolls at Boardwalk afterwards), we didn't even attempt the bus and took cabs.

Bottom line - we should have budgeted $100 for cab rides. This is with taking the monorail or buses to most places and taking a cab back to the resort. We actually wish we would have had a little more extra cash to justify taking a cab TO a lot of the places too. If you are trying to have a romantic evening, riding the buses with bunch of tired park goers and crying children won't help the mood!

So sorry you had trouble with the buses this will be our 57th trip and we have maybe had problems four or five times with buses and BOTh were trying to get to and from AKL and another was Yacht Club buses

The BEST buses are at a value called POP Century we have stayed all all the deluxe and mods and then tried values and was to crowded buses so crowded so someone told us try POP and we been going there ever since.

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

I had the same problem on my trip 2 weeks ago as well. We had a major problem trying to get to Narcoossee for dinner one night. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get there through a series of unfortunate events. We were 45 minutes late and it was a 9:45 pm reservation. Fortunatly they were still able to accomidate us and the staff was very sweet about it. I will definitely be driving my car to Disney from now on in order to get to and from other hotels.

 

[dixonsontour]

Resort to park is fine - we got buses from all stars to ak and mk for 8am reservations no poblem but were at the bus stop 7-7.15am.

But if you are having breakfast at another resort that is more difficult - no bus will take you there directly - you go to the nearest park and transfer to bus/monorail.

 

[SweetSpot]

If you are staying at POFQ (I'm planning on staying at Riverview) can't you take the boat to DD to avoid that bus and then hop on a bus at DD to where you are going? I've never done the buses before and thought this was the best way to do it. Didn't realize I needed a bus to DD.

 

[ccgirl]

If you are staying at POFQ (I'm planning on staying at Riverview) can't you take the boat to DD to avoid that bus and then hop on a bus at DD to where you are going? I've never done the buses before and thought this was the best way to do it. Didn't realize I needed a bus to DD.

Leave yourself plenty of time. I find the buses don't seem to run as frequently from DTD as they do from the resorts. To the poster that asked why people see problems with the buses....my "problem" is that I don't like to stand on a full bus holding my sleeping child while trying to hold the stroller still as it hits the knee of the man next to me that gets all angry about it. I also don't like waiting for the buses, and having it take me an hour to get to another resort for dining (b/w waiting for buses, and transfers) when I can just hop in my car and be there in less than 10 minutes. Then, I am on my own schedule and not at the mercy of the WDW transportation. Again, some people don't mind the above. If you don't mind; then save $$$ and go for the transportation. For me, the rental car is well worth it.

 

[photobob]

I think there is something to be said for making dining reservations in conjunction with what you are doing on a given day. If I didn't have a car I wouldn't make dining reservations at a resort that I couldn't easily get to.

In my planning I choose what park I am going to on a given day and then choose a restaurant that fits easily into those plans.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I think there is something to be said for making dining reservations in conjunction with what you are doing on a given day. If I didn't have a car I wouldn't make dining reservations at a resort that I couldn't easily get to.

In my planning I choose what park I am going to on a given day and then choose a restaurant that fits easily into those plans.

That's how I do it too!

I also think there's a difference in what people are used to. DH and I live outside a big city and we rely on public transport for work. Disney transport is paradise in comparison - it's clean, it's reliable, there are no homeless people... Granted we just had 1 trip last year, but we had ZERO problems in 7 days and found buses to be regular. We only had to wait around 20 minutes one time for an Epcot bus, but otherwise, we'd wait 5 minutes or less. Even then, at off peak times, you'd see 20 minute waits for the DC Metro too. I think Disney's transport system is great for a system of that size. And anyway, just as I would at home, I try to avoid switching vehicles if I can help it. And I know that it ALWAYS takes longer if there's a transfer. I account for that in my planning and try to minimize the amount of switching. Thus, no resort breakfasts for us, as I don't want to scramble first thing in the morning trying to make transfers.